Auburn Hotel

If a pub has been pouring schooners for more than 135 years, it probably has a hold on the community. That’s at least true of the Auburn Hotel, which was built in 1888 and has been a go-to watering hole for many south-east locals ever since. The grand pub houses a beer garden, playground and 230-seat atrium space with a bar, a central fireplace, TV screens and a pizza oven.

In the atrium, you can pull up a seat at a high top, take a a table by the fireplace or stand by the bar and catch a game on the TV screens. Plus, a retractable roof means that when the sun comes out you can make the most of it. Outside in the beer garden you’ll find large picnic tables and a relaxed vibe that complements the old pub feel. If you’re bringing the kids, the playground will keep them entertained.

The menu combines pub classics (including the local-favourite chicken parma) with more contemporary dishes. Snack on small plates like kingfish crudo and burrata with tomato jam and mandarin. The Ora King salmon and fried chicken burger are standout mains, as are the woodfired pizzas.

Studio Y oversaw the design of new space, which features exposed brickwork and ceiling trusses that add to a well-worn feel. The look is completed with a distressed paint finish.